Professor Pearl Kane Writes About Leadership in the New Millennium

Published in 3/1/1999

In
"Farewell, Lone Warrior," a recent article written for the Independent
School, Pearl Kane says: "School leadership at the turn of the century
calls for different skills and competencies, and a departure from the
notion of the lone warrior commanding an organization."

Kane,
Associate Professor of Education and Director of the Klingenstein
Center for Independent School Education, continues, "The most
encouraging news that emerges from the vast literature on leadership is
that much of what is needed for success can be learned." She maintains
that there appears to be "an emerging consensus" on what is necessary
for leading organizations effectively today and into the next
millennium.

While all the "core competencies"
deserve full explanation, Kane says "use of power" and "political
astuteness," are critical elements in effective leadership.

In
writing about the "use of power," she says, "Despite widespread belief
to the contrary, powerlessness in organizations may be more destructive
than powerfulness."

Kane defines powerfulness as including
"having access to resources and information, and the ability to act
quickly to get the job done." To increase power, she adds, "leaders
need to enable others in the school to act by delegating responsibility
and providing resources and information for making decisions. Instead
of diminishing power, power sharing actually enhances a leader's
influence and effectiveness."

In discussing "political
astuteness," Kane says, "The word ‘political' is often thought of as a
dirty word in independent schools." She argues, however, that leaders
must be politically astute in three major areas: agenda setting,
networking and coalition forming, and bargaining and negotiating. "In
setting an agenda," she says, "school leaders must create a climate for
change that has two major elements: a vision for the school's future
and a strategy for achieving that vision."

"The first practical
task in building networks and coalitions," Kane adds, "is to figure out
whose help you need. The second is to develop relationships with those
people."

Heads of schools, she says, need support to get things
done, but they also need "critical friends" or allies to provide honest
feedback. To receive support, Kane, forthrightly says, "you must
cultivate it." The way to that, she says, is through "bargaining and
negotiation." Because much of what goes on in school requires
negotiation and bargaining, Kane believes that "successful heads learn
the value of open and collaborative behavior."

She is not
concerned about the outmoded model of a leader of a school, a person
who is too autocratic, too remote, and too lonely. The new model, she
says, is "more complex, challenging and also more enticing."

The
emerging model of leadership, according to Kane, is one "where power is
shared, where work is accomplished in teams and where there is an
opportunity for continuous learning."previous page